Religious Studies Assistant Professor "goes home"
A Passage to India ... via Omaha
Dr. Michele Desmarais made her first trip to India this January,
and for this Métis Canadian from Omaha, it was all about "going home."
Assistant Professor
of Religious Studies at UNO, Desmarais began her study of Indology and yoga
many years earlier, bringing her passion and her research into focus with her
doctoral work at the University of British Columbia. There she received a
national doctoral fellowship for her research on philosophy of mind in Patañjali's
Yoga Sutras, one of the Hindu scriptures.
"A lot of people
think that Yoga is just about postures and perhaps some breathing exercises and
meditation," says Desmarais. "Yoga is actually one of six traditional schools
of thought and practice in Hinduism. Other Indian religions such as Buddhism
and Jainism also utilize yoga practices. The chief sutra, or text, for the
Hindu school of Yoga is the Yoga Sutra. It contains a particular metaphysical
perspective of reality that explains mind largely in terms of matter. That's combined with an interesting and
well-defined psychology and practices that aim to change one's mind, identity
and consciousness."
In addition to
teaching courses in Sanskrit, Hinduism and Buddhism during the last four years,
Desmarais has been writing a book that is a continuation of her graduate work —
but with an exciting turn down a new path. "Changing Minds: Mind,
Consciousness, and Identity in Pantanjali's Yoga Sutra and Cognitive
Neuroscience" examines the Yoga Sutra and its main commentaries.
"However," Desmarais
says, "the Yoga Sutra was never meant to be just a thought experiment. So given
that, along with the idea that, in this text, mind is primarily matter, I have
chapters that examine what may happen in the brain of a person who undertakes
this path. I have tried to be as rigorous as possible with the studies that I
include in the neuroscience part of the book, and also tried to explain the
very bare basic bones of brain function as well as I could, given that it is
aimed at Indologists rather than neuroscientists."
Desmarais dedicates
her book to her graduate supervisor Professor Ashok Aklujkar (Asian studies,
University of British Columbia) for teaching her Sanskrit, Indian Philosophy
and an interdisciplinary approach. "This interdisciplinary emphasis is a
fundamental strength of the Indian tradition," she explains. "It is also one
reason why all too many people who are not part of the tradition distort it
when they try to focus only on the philosophy, or the psychology, or the
practice, or the religion — or relegate the whole tradition to religious
studies, for that matter."
When Desmarais
learned that Motilal Banarsidass (MLBD) a leading Indian publishing house, was
eager to publish her book, plans to augment her spiritual and academic journey
with a physical journey to India began to take shape. The publisher was so
impressed with Desmarais' work that he insisted on and arranged for her
presenting her work at the World Congress on Psychology & Spirituality
2008, held in New Delhi in January.
The Congress invites
scholars in the fields of psychology, consciousness studies, Indic traditions
and philosophy, as well as medical and psychological clinicians and spiritual
teachers from diverse traditions to present on a wide range of topics. This
year's inaugural address, "Dharma and Governance," was given by Lama Samdhong
Rinpoche, prime minister of Tibet in exile, "on behalf of His Holiness the
Dalai Lama."
Desmarais says her
conference highlights included meeting R.P. Jain of MLBD, Rajiv Malhotra,
philanthropist and founder of The Infinity Foundation, along with people from
38 other countries, all interested in the spiritual.
"After I presented
my paper a number of people came up on stage to talk," she says. "It turned out
that one of them was a Canadian physician from my hometown of Vancouver. She
said to me, 'It's my first time here, too. Oh my God, don't you have culture
shock?'
"After a second's
thought, I had to admit that I didn't have any culture shock. I think I've been
in culture shock with regards to Western culture my entire life."
Desmarais was
invited to give two additional lectures while in Delhi, arranged for her by
B.K. Goswami. She had been introduced via email to Mr. Goswami by Dr. Deepak
Khazanchi, associate dean of UNO's College of Information Science and
Technology. One lecture was at the Center for Sanskrit Studies at Jawaharlal
Nehru University and the other for a gathering of influential Delhi women.
"These are powerful women — leaders in education and business —and along with
that, many of them are Yoga practitioners," says Desmarais.
Drawing her back to
Omaha were Bill Arab, her husband, who keeps her "happier in life than [she]
ever would have imagined," her cats Sita and Spike, "dear friends" in the Religious
Studies program and the local yoga community, her "tremendous" students, and
the "truly good and decent" people of Omaha.
"This seems to be
one of the real gifts that Omaha brings to the world," she says. "I go back to
Vancouver now and store clerks say to me, 'You're so nice! Where are you from?'
And I say, 'I'm from Omaha, Neb.' My colleagues and students have rubbed off on
me. Store clerks never used to comment before, when I lived in Vancouver, on
how friendly I was."
Desmarais looks
forward to sharing the inspiration of India with UNO students: "Everywhere I
went in Delhi, whether it was at the Congress, with the publisher, or at the
other talks, I met people who did not separate any aspect of their lives or
their practice from their deep intellectual knowledge of, and commitment to,
their traditions. For me, this was simultaneously humbling and inspiring.
"I've certainly
returned with a deeper sense of purpose in my own life, my studies and in my
teaching. In a fundamental way, it all makes much more sense now. I no longer
wake up each morning and think, "What am I doing in Omaha?"
UNO group's complex cell model could
unlock biological, medical mysteries
UNO's Mathematical
Biology Research Group has created a model of a cell — not the simple coloring-book
cell memorized in introductory biology classes, but a phenomenally complex and
dynamic cell capable of processing "tens of thousands of random combinations of
inputs" taken in by thousands of chemical receptors.
Analyzing the cell's
response to the different combinations may yield answers to an unlimited number
of biological and medical mysteries, including those surrounding cancer.
Publication of the
group's success in the Feb. 12 edition of The Proceedings of the National
Academy of the Sciences under the title "Emergent decision-making in biological
signal transduction networks" marks the beginning of an exciting new stage in
the group's research.
The group's next step is to take the model
into the laboratory. It has begun working with Dr. Hamid Band of the University
of Nebraska Medical Center Eppley Cancer Center to do just that.
Members of the
Mathe-matical Biology Research Group (pictured, left to right): Tomas Helikar,
a graduate of UNO's bioinformatics program, research technician for UNO and
Ph.D. student in bioinformatics at UNMC; Dr. John Konvalina, professor of
mathematics; Dr. Jack Heidel, professor and chair of the mathematics
department; and, Dr. Jim Rogers, cell biologist and assistant professor of
mathematics.
The group's project
was funded by a three-year, nearly $600,000 grant provided by the National
Institutes of Health.
Sherrets reflects on education and lifelong mission for justice
Political science
alum Jim Sherrets set out on his career path at an early age.
He describes his inspiration as, "being beat up by a fifth-grade
bully when I was in the third grade, and again in fourth grade by a seventh-
grader. Those caused me to seek empowerment. I decided by fourth grade that I
would become an attorney."
Other inspiration came
from Mrs. Steskal, his fourth-grade teacher.
"She taught me that
I had something of interest to say," Sherrets explains. "Like the old saying
about the pen and sword, an attorney's words in court can be very powerful
indeed."
Sherrets honed that
sword throughout his education. He graduated from Benson High School in 1971
then added significantly to his arsenal while attending UNO from 1971 to 1975,
when he graduated with a political science degree.
"I chose political
science because of my interest in the law. I thought it was a logical extension
of my interests. I wanted to learn more about the inner workings of government.
I knew that would aid me later as an attorney."
Dr. Jim Johnson,
political science professor, remembers Sherrets as an original thinker and "one
of our outstanding majors." Sherrets likewise has fond memories of the
Political Science faculty. "Bernie Kolasa was great," he recalls. "Dr. Menard
was wonderful. Jim Johnson was wonderful. Johnson has offered the world more
smiles than almost anyone in my career. All were great guys."
Like many CAS
alumni, Sherrets discovered the full wisdom of a liberal arts curriculum some
years after graduation.
"When I went to
school, most students were questioning the 'relevance' of classes," he says. "We
all asked why did we have to take this class or that. Well, let me tell you as
an attorney that litigates complex matters on all kinds of topics, in all types
of industries, I use that information. From meteorological classes, which have
helped me win cases involving hail damage and suits regarding accidents, to
biology to geology to geography, I have used and continue to use all of it.
"I can honestly say
I never took an irrelevant course in college. I only wish I had understood that
at the time."
Sherrets especially
appreciated his economics classes. "I have been served in both my legal career
and my personal investments by the knowledge gained in Econ classes at UNO."
Sherrets'
experiences at UNO outside the classroom also contributed to his education. He
was a member of the Student Senate and in the spring of 1974 was elected
Student Body President by a second balloting. The first ballot was perhaps his
first life lesson not only in politics but also in how the "law" can keep
bullies at bay.
"We had enacted a
limit on spending. It turned out that the Greek candidate drastically exceeded
those spending limits. As a consequence, the court threw out the election and
banned him from running for reelection as a remedy. I was elected first place
on the second balloting."
Other victories for
Sherrets were as a scholarship member of the debate team. "I traveled and had
great success as an intercollegiate debater. I truly enjoyed the competition
and I learned much from the many speech classes I took. Dwayne Aschenbrenner
was an inspiration and an excellent instructor."
After graduation
from UNO Sherrets went on to law school at the University of Nebraska at
Lincoln, obtaining his degree in 1978.
He remembers with
pride the struggles of those younger years. "I was aided by some scholarships
but paid my own way through college as most UNO students do. I often had two
jobs. I lived on my own from age 17 … I borrowed enough in law school to cover
tuition, but worked for living expenses. I worked hard enough to buy a stripped
down VW Rabbit as a senior."
He's maintained his
base of operations in Omaha, where he helped raise his three children. He's
also licensed in Arizona and Colorado and has litigated in 25 states. His
children have ventured to other states in seeking their career paths. His
oldest son recently graduated from Wharton School of Business and is employed
in the tech industry in Palo Alto. His daughter has graduated from Kansas
University and is employed in advertising in Kansas City. His younger son is a senior
at KU and, like his father, has been accepted to UNL Law School.
Complex commercial
litigation is the focus of Sherrets' practice at present. According to
Sherrets, it can include "fights between business people, contract disputes,
construction failures, and high-end personal injury disputes." He has
represented fellow lawyers as well as litigating malpractice cases against
other lawyers. He has developed a reputation among lawyers as a passionate
champion for his client, regardless of popular opinion.
"Fortunately, I am
no longer the smallest boy in class," says Sherrets, "so that is seldom an
issue any more. Having a law license and the skills that come with it certainly
has helped me assist my clients when they meet their own bullies: the
government, partners or unfair spouses."
New Center for Islamic Studies
committed to understanding
In keeping with the
liberal arts mission of educating students for life and for the world, the
College of Arts and Sciences is proud to announce the creation of the Center
for Islamic Studies at UNO.
"Recognizing the
growing attention to Islamic ideas as a motivating force in political action
and the role of Muslims in the global community," says Dr. Paul Williams,
director of the Center, "the faculty of the Center for Islamic Studies intend
to draw attention to the significance of religious, cultural, and historical
aspects of Islam over the past 1,400 years and in the present.
"We will study the
rich diversity of Islamic civilization throughout history and throughout the
world, as well as the more provocative issues related to conflict, violence and
peacemaking in the 21st century."
The Center is an
interdisciplinary program including the departments of Foreign Languages,
History, International Studies, Political Science, and Religious Studies and is
being built upon the strengths of existing programs and faculty. At the
instigation of Fred Amis, UNO history instructor and community benefactor, the
Omaha Commun-ity Foundation has contributed $180,000 for faculty recruiting and
development, library acquisitions and student scholarships.
FACULTY
Dr. Moshe Gershovich, professor of
history, will offer courses in The Modern Middle East, Islam and the West,
Israel and Palestine and US and the Middle East. Gershovich is a native of
Israel and earned his B.A. in Middle Eastern and Jewish History. His Ph.D. is
from Cambridge University, where he focused on Moroccan history. In 2006
Gershovich (photo, second from left) led UNO students on a Study Abroad trip to
Morocco.
Bridget Blomfield joined the faculty
this fall and holds a Ph.D. in religious studies from Claremont Graduate
University. She will be teaching courses in Islam and Women in Islam. For the
past five years she has taught religion, Middle Eastern studies and Islamic studies
at the University of Redlands, San Jose State University and Long Island
University. During the 2006-07 school year she taught Islamic studies in New
York, Turkey and India as she traveled with 12 American college students.
Blomfield is excited about the creation of the Center. "So far teaching at UNO
has been a real joy," Blomfield says. "A third of my students in my Islam
courses are Muslim, and I'm looking forward to bringing both Muslim and
non-Muslim students together to work on projects, to work for a better
understanding of one another."
Guy Matalon is the Jewish
Federation of Omaha Professor of Judaic Studies at UNO and will be teaching
Medieval Jewish and Islamic Thought. He was born in Jaffa, Israel, and
immigrated with his family to Los Angeles in 1981. He attended New York
University's Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies, where he
received his M.A. in Medieval Jewish Thought. His Ph.D also is from NYU. His
area of specialization is Medieval Jewish and Islamic Philosophy.
Paul Allen Williams, assistant
professor of religion and chair of the Religion program, also will be teaching
courses in Islam. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and raised in
both Congo and Texas, he earned a B.A. in anthropology and Asian studies from
the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Arts degree in religion from
the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest. At the University of
Chicago Williams studied history of religions, with an emphasis on African
religions, Buddhism and the history of Christianity. At Chicago he earned an
M.A. in religious studies and a Ph.D. in history of religions.
The Political Science Department will hire a faculty member to fill a full-time tenure-track
position in Middle East/Islamic Politics for the start of the Fall 2008
semester.
"The department will
be dramatically enhanced with the addition of a teacher and scholar on the
Middle East," says Dr. Loree Bykerk, chair of Political Science. "Being part of
the developing Center for Islamic Studies will help integrate and develop our
new colleague."
The Foreign Languages program will hire an Arabic instructor as funding and expertise are
available.
